Fixture



Nov. 29, 1949 s. SANFORD 2,489,543

FIXTURE Filed May 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1949 R. s. SANFORD FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1945 Nov. 29, 1949 R. s. SANFORD FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 2 945 m W1. 61m, H

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Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES OFFICE Roy S. Sanford, Woodbury,

The Autoyr'e Company, Incorporated,

Conn, assignoi; to oakville,

Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application May 26, 1945', Serial N 595,904

9 Claims.

This invention relates to fixtures, more particularly to fixtures such as. soap dishes, tumbler and toothbrush holders, utility shelves and the like, adapted to be secured to a wall or a similar support by screws or other suitable fastening means, and the invention has for an object the provision of inexpensive, attractive and sturdy fixtures of this character.

In the past soap dishes, for example, have been either of the perforated or open type, wherein water and drippings from the bar of soap are not retained in the tray, or they have been of the imperforate type wherein no drainage from the tray is permitted. While the open type of soap dish is more easily cleaned and preserves the soap in better condition, the application of such soap dishes is somewhat limited in so far as their location is concerned because of the obvious undesirability of allowing soapy water from the dish to drip onto the floor or similar nondraining surfaces. On the other hand, imperforate type soap dishes accumulate soapywater from the bar of soap which results in an unsightly dish and, if not cleaned out at frequent intervals, causes the soap to deteriorate. To faci-ltate cleaning and avoid unsightliness, imperforate soap dishes have been provided with removable liners or inner trays which rest in the bottom of the soap dish and may be bodily removed and readily cleaned; such inner trays or liners, however, have a tendency to slide out of position and may be accidentally displaced from the soap dish, resulting in breakage or damage to the liner.

Moreover, in fixtures of the type to which this invention relates it is desirable from the standpoint of appearance and cleanliness, that the securing means for attaching the soap dish to a wall or similar support be concealed from view while at the same time being readily accessible for mounting. the soap dish on its support. Likewise it is desirable that the fixtures, even though formed from sheet metal, have the appearance of substantial thickness so as to simulate more expensive cast construction. Acl cordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide inexpensive but decorative fixtures which combine the low cost of sheet metal fabrication with the substantial appearance of more expensive constructions, and in which the e,

securing means are readily accessible for mounting the fixture but are concealed from view when the fixtureis in use, i

In carrying outthe lnventionin. one form, a

fixture is provided comprising a lower tray hav' ingimpertorate walls, an upper tray adapted to nest in the lower tray, together with means for securing the lower tray to a support, and hinge means connecting the trays so that the upper tray may be swung out of nesting relation to atford access to the lower tray. More particularly, the lower tray is provided with bracket means including an upstanding wall-engaging plate for securing the lower tray to a wall or similar support, and the upper tray includes a part comprising a cover plate upstanding from one edge of the tray for concealing the wall-engaging plate and the securing means when the trays are in nesting relation Associated with the wallengaging plate and the cover plate is a hinge arrangement for connecting the two plates so that the upper tray may be swung outwardly from its nesting position to another position inwhich access is afforded to the interior of the lower tray and to the wall-engaging. plate and the securingmeans. The hinge connection includes resilient means for resiliently and selectively maintaining the upper tray in either its nesting position. or its other position upon movement thereto. In the case of a soap dish the upper tray has a. perforate bottom wall and is shallower than the lower tray which is imperforate, so that a chamber is provided between the trays in which drippings from the upper tray may accumulate and the perforated bottom of the upper tray is preferably embossed to support the bar of soap above the bottom wall.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference should he had to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1. is a top plan view of a soap dish embodying this present invention Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the soap dish of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view; I

Fig. 4 is a perspeotlve view showing the upper and; lower trays i'n disassembled relation;

Fig. 5' is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper tray taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4';

Fig- 6 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line B'5 of- Fig; 5;

Big. 7 is a top'plan view of the lower tray before theupper tray is assembled therewith;

Fig. 8 is a front elevational' view of the wwer tray shown in Fig. 7;

9 is a detailed isometric View of the supporting bracket for the lower trad;-

are. 1 0' is an enlarged eetmnai fragmentary view substantially none the line Ill-l0 or Fig. 2

and showing the interrelation of the hinge means for the two trays with the trays in nesting position; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are similar enlarged fragmentary views showing the soap dish with the upper tray swung to other positions.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention, although not limited to soap dishes, is shown for purposes of illustration as embodied in a soap dish comprising a lower tray having imperforate bottom and side walls and an upper tray IB having a perforate bottom wall, the trays being adapted to be assembled in nested relation with a resilient hinge connection therebetween so that the upper tray may be swung upwardly from its nesting position to afford access to the lower tray for cleaning purposes. The lower tray I5, which is shown best in Figs. 4, '7 and 8, is provided with a curved peripheral flange or bead I! which extends entirely about the tray except at the rear edge, at which point there is provided a flat rearwardly extending flange I9 which cooperates with a supporting bracket, as shown best in Figs. 4 and 9. Referring to Fig, 9, the bracket comprises a wall-engaging plate 23' which is slotted, as shown, to provide a pair of upwardly extending spring fingers 2| having a hook portion 22 at the upper end thereof. The wall-engaging plate is preferably provided with a flange 23 at the bottom for stifiening purposes.

At its opposite ends the wall-engaging plate 20 terminates in side wall portions 24, and at the front end of each side wall portion is an inwardly extending lug or ear 25 which is shaped to conform to the rear wall of the lower tray l5 and which may be secured thereto preferably by welding in order to support the tray I5 on the bracket. As shown, the wall-engaging plate is provided at its opposite ends with apertures 26 for receiving suitable screws or fasteners by means of which the wall-engaging plate 20 may be secured to a wall or similar support.

The upper tray I6 is of the same configuration as the lower tray I5 but is somewhat shallower and is provided with a curved flange or bead 21 which is adapted to overlie the flange or bead ll of the lower tray I5, so as to support the upper tray in nesting relation within the lower tray and provide a chamber between the spaced-apart bottom walls of the two trays. As shown, the bottom wall of the upper tray I6 is provided with a plurality of U-shaped transversely extending embossments 28 upon which a cake of soap may be supported in spaced relation to the bottom wall of the upper tray l6, and suitable apertures or perforations 29 are provided along opposite sides of the embossments. It will thus be apparent that when the trays are in nesting relation and a wet cake of soap is placed in the upper tray l6, any soapy water draining therefrom will pass through the perforations 29 into the chamber between the two trays, and consequently there will be no accumlation of unsightly soapy water in the upper tray.

Extending upwardly from the rear edge of the upper tray I6 is a part comprising a cover plate 30 which is preferably provided with strengthening embossments 3|, the cover plate 30 terminating in a curved upper edge from which depends a rearwardly spaced hinge plate 32. This hinge plate, as shown best in Fig. 4, is provided .with slots 33 for cooperation with the hook portions. 22 on the bracket of the lower tray in order to form the hinge means for connecting the two trays together. Preferably, the cover plate 30 is provided with end plates 34 which may be welded thereto and which serve to provide a finished, pleasing appearance and conceal from view the hinge mechanism when the soap dish is secured to a wall or similar support.

As shown in Fig. 10, the hook portions 22 of the spring fingers 2| extend through the slots 33 of the hinge plate 32 when the trays are in assembled relation, and in order to accomplish this assembly it is necessary only to invert the upper tray from the position shown in Fig. 3 so that the upper tray l3 extends rearwardly with respect to the lower tray l5 and to then press the spring fingers 2| forwardly so that the curved end of the cover plate 30 may be forced donwardly between the spring fingers and the wall-engaging plate 20. When the slots 33 in the hinge plate 32 are opposite the free ends of the hooks 22, the tray l3 may be swung forwardly so that the hooks 22 move through the slots 33, the curved end of the cover plate 30 being in engagement with the wall engaging plate 20 and forming a sliding fulcrum during this assembling movement. The interrelation of the hook 22, the slots 33, the cover plate 30, and the wall-engaging plate 20 in an intermediate position during the assembly operation is shown in Fig. 11, and it will be apparent that as the tray I6 is swung from the position of Fig. '11 to the position of Fig. 10 the hook portions 22 will continue to move through the slots 33 to the final position shown in Fig. 10.

With the trays l5 and IS in nesting relation it will be observed that the ends of the hook portions 22 bear against the inner surface of the hinge plate 32 so as to maintain this hinge plate in contact with the wall-engaging plate 26 and that the spring fingers 2| thus tend to resiliently hold the trays I5 and IS in nesting relation. The slots 33 are spaced apart longitudinally of the tray a distance corresponding to the spacing of the spring fingers 2| so that longitudinal sliding movement of the upper tray relative to the fixed lower tray is prevented.

When it is desired to clean out the accumulated drippings from the lower tray I5, it is necessary only to swing the tray I6 upwardly against the force exerted on the hinge plate 32 by the spring fingers 2|. During this swinging movement the curved end of the cover plate 30 slides downwardly along the wall-engaging plate 20, and as soon as this curved end reaches a point below the point of engagement of the hook portions 22 with the edges of the slots 33, the force exerted by the spring fingers 2| on the tray |6 tends to assist this swinging movement of the tray I6 rather than oppose it.

In Fig. 12 there is shown the extreme position to which the tray |6 may be swung, and it will be observed that the spring fingers 2| bearing on the edges of the slots 33 tend to retain the upper tray It in this extreme position and resiliently resist swinging movement of the tray I6 to its nesting position. Thus the spring fingers 22 resiliently maintain the tray IS in either of its positions. It will be observed that a position of equilibrium may be reached at any position of the tray l6 between the positions shown in Figs. 11 and 12, depending upon the amount of friction between the curved end of the cover plate 30 and the wall-engaging plate 20, since the force exerted by the spring fingers 2| is substantially radial with respect to the curvature of the end of the cover plate.

Since the tray 18 is resiliently held in the positions shown in Figs. 11 and 12, it will be apparent that it is not necessaryv to manually hold the upper tray [6 in such positions while cleaning out the lower tray. Likewise, it will be observed that in these positions the apertures 26 in the wall plate 20 are readily accessible and consequently the soap dish. may be secured to a wall or similar support without-interference from the tray l6 and the cover plate 3.0,

When the tray [6 is in the. nesting, position which it occupies during usage, the side, members 34 on the cover plate 30 overlapthe upper ends of the end portions '24 on the mounting, bracket. Consequently, by the provision of the cover plate part 3%] and the side members 34, the securing means and the hinge means of the soap dish are completely concealed from view when the trays are nested.

While I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fixture comprising a lower tray having side walls and a front wall upstanding from the bottom wall thereof and having a wall engaging plate of greater height than said side and front walls upstanding from the rear edge of said tray, means including said plate for securing said lower tray to a support, an upper tray adapted to rest on said front and side walls of said lower tray and having an upstanding rear plate overlying said wall engaging plate, and hinge means connecting said plates adjacent the upper edges thereof for upward swinging movement of said upper tray to afford access to said lower tray and to said securing means.

2. A fixture comprising a lower tray having side walls and a front wall upstanding from the bottom wall thereof, an upper tray having edge portions adapted to rest on the upper edges of said side and front walls, means for securing said lower tray to a support, means comprising a part carried by said upper tray for concealing said securing means when said upper tray is positioned to rest on the upper edges of said side and front walls, and a resilient hinge connection between said trays for resiliently maintaining said trays in engagement while permitting swinging movement of said upper tray to another position, said hinge connection including means resiliently maintaining said upper tray in said other position upon swinging movement thereto to afiord access to said lower tray and to said securing means.

3. A fixture comprising a lower tray having upstanding walls connected to a bottom, an upper tray adapted to nest in said lower tray, bracket means on said lower tray including an upstanding wall-engaging plate for securement to a wall, a cover plate upstanding from one edge of said upper tray for concealing said wall-engaging plate when said trays are in nesting relation, and hinge means connecting said cover plate to said wall-engaging plate, whereby said upper tray may be swung upwardly out of said nesting relation to another positon to afford access to said wall-engaging plate and to the interior of said lower tray.

4. A soap dish comprising a lower tray having imperforate bottom, front and side walls, an

6 upper tray adapted to nest in said lower tray and havingedge portions adapted to rest on the upper edges of said side and front walls, means for securing said lower tray to a support, means comprising a part carried by said upper tray for concealing said securing means when said upper tray is nested in said lower tray and a hinge connection between said trays for maintaining said trays in nesting relation while permitting swinging movement of said upper tray to another position, to afford access to said lower tray and said securing means.

5. A soap dish comprising a lower tray having imperforate bottom and side walls, an upper tray adapted to nest in said lower tray and having a perforate bottom wall, bracket means on said lower tray including an upstanding wall-engaging plate for securement to a wall, a cover plate upstandting from one edge of said upper tray for concealing said wall-engaging plate when said trays are in nesting relation, and hinge means connecting said cover plate to said wall-engaging plate, whereby said upper tray may be swung upwardly out of said nesting relation to another position to afford access to said wall-engaging plate and to the interior of said lower tray.

6. A soap dish comprising a lower tray having imperforate bottom and side walls, an upper tray adapted to nest in said lower tray and having a perforate bottom wall, bracket means on said lower tray including an upstanding wall-engaging plate for securement to a wall, a cover plate upstandin from one edge of said upper tray for concealing said wall-engaging plate when said trays are in nesting relation, and hinge means connecting said cover plate to said wall-engaging plate, whereby said upper tray may be swung upwardly out of said nesting relation to another position to afford access to said wall-engaging plate and to the interior of said lower tray, said hinge means including resilient means for resiliently and selectively maintaining said upper tray in either its nesting position or its other position upon movement thereto.

'7. A soap dish comprising a lower tray having imperforate bottom and side walls, an upper tray adapted to nest in said lower tray and having a perforate bottom wall, bracket means on said lower tray including an upstanding wall-engaging plate for securement to a wall, a cover plate upstanding from one edge of said upper tray in front of said wall-engaging plate, and spring finger means on said wall-engaging plate for engaging said cover plate in interlocking relation, said spring finger means permitting swinging movement of said upper tray from nesting position to another positon in which said wall-engaging plate and the interior of said lower tray are exposed and being effective to maintain said upper tray resiliently in either of said positions upon movement thereto.

8. A fixture comprising a lower tray having side walls and a front wall upstanding from the bottom wall thereof and having a wall-engaging plate of greater height than said side and front walls upstanding from the rear edge of said tray, means including said plate for securing said lower tray to a support, an upper tray adapted to rest on said front and side walls of said lower tray and having an upstanding rear plate overlying said wall-engaging plate to conceal said securing means, and means removably retaining said upper tray in position on said lower tray with said rear plate in said concealing position.

9. A fixture comprising a lower tray having REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Morrison Nov. 22, 1887 Eustis Sept. 9, 1902 Lisbae Mar. 3, 1914 Smith Apr. 13, 1915 Wright Aug. 22, 1916 Weaver Nov. 14, 1916 Rautzenburg Jan. 2, 1917 Moore Feb. 19, 1918 Manley June 4, 1918 Smith Nov. 10, 1925 Schurr Jan. 14, 1930 Sanford July 11, 1944 

